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Judiciary Committee Passes Resolution Demanding NSA Data

By Jeralyn, Section War on Terror
Posted on Wed Jun 21, 2006 at 10:43:19 AM EST
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Some good news on the NSA warrantless surveillance issue. I just received this e-mail from Rep. John Conyer's office:

Today, the House Judiciary Committee passed H.Res. 819, calling on the President and the Justice Department to disclose its role in approving massive telephone call databases maintained by the NSA and others. This is the first time a Committee has approved a Resolution of Inquiry demanding information from the Administration this Congress.

The resolution, authored by Representative Robert Wexler (D-FL), requests "all documents in the possession of the President and the Attorney General, including all legal opinions, relating to requests made without a warrant by the National Security Agency or other Federal departments and agencies to telephone service providers, including wireless telephone service providers, for access to telephone communications records of persons in the United States."

"I am pleased that the House Judiciary Committee is exercising its oversight authority and demanding real answers of the Administration," said Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. " We do not know how trillions of phone call records were obtained, nor how they are being used. And there is no guarantee that this private information will ever be destroyed."

Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner will put the resolution on the House calendar, where, at his discretion, it will be subject to a full vote of the if the Administration refuses to comply.

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    Judiciary Committee Passes Resolution Demanding NSA Data | 4 comments (4 topical)
    Re: Judiciary Committee Passes Resolution Demandin (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Jun 21, 2006 at 10:59:01 AM EST
    Where am I? When? This is actually the planet earth on 6/21/06? Nawww... God forgive me, I am getting so cynical, that my immediate reaction is that something very tricky is going on here. Oh.. I see... "..at his discretion, it will be subject to a full vote of the if the Administration refuses to comply." Of the House? Voluntarily, I suppose. "Oh, certainly Mr. Sensenbrenner, we'll get those records right over to you, since you MIGHT call a vote SOMEDAY." That sounds more like Earth on 6/21. A great relief. I thought I was actually seeing something encouraging.

    Re: Judiciary Committee Passes Resolution Demandin (none / 0) (#2)
    by cynicalgirl on Wed Jun 21, 2006 at 11:32:06 AM EST
    It won't happen. They will claim national security. They will claim no one has a security clearance. They will fight it tooth and nail. And since Congress has no backbone, they will get away with it. Our best hope is the flurry of lawsuits against them.

    Re: Judiciary Committee Passes Resolution Demandin (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Jun 21, 2006 at 02:52:29 PM EST
    thanks for the heads-up, Jeralyn. but, until they hand over the documents & data, i don't think it's worth discussing. too much smoke, not enough fire.

    Re: Judiciary Committee Passes Resolution Demandin (none / 0) (#4)
    by wg on Wed Jun 21, 2006 at 07:19:47 PM EST
    A little bit more significant is the fact that the judge in San Francisco AT&T case refused to dismiss the case outrightly as demanded by the feds. See Greenwald for more on this. Consolidation tack may work for them though.

    Judiciary Committee Passes Resolution Demanding NSA Data | 4 comments (4 topical)